Last Mom Standing

By: Mary Jane Owen

Narrated by: Rebecca Avery

When Jane Kovak trades her cheating ex-husband and a cushy city life for an old Victorian farmhouse in the mountains of Virginia, she’s prepared to face some challenges. Sulky teenager? Check. Leaky roof? No problem. Territorial chickens? Hmm, that wasn't in the real estate listing. A misogynistic neighbor with boundary issues? That’s just great. A zombie apocalypse? Now wait a damn minute.

One day Jane is juggling her remote design job, single parenthood, and an assortment of quirky new neighbors. The next she’s collecting stray kids and fighting off the infected with a hammer. Now the power is out, supplies are running low, and winter is setting in.

Fun times at the End Times.

Who says you can't have it all? In this warm, witty tale of family, survival, and a touch of romance, one woman proves that when the world ends, tough moms don't just survive—they thrive. Last Mom Standing is perfect for listeners who like their end-of-the-world scenarios served with a side of humor and hope.

©2024 Michael Owens (P)2025 Michael Owens

Just what I needed

This story is just what I needed during these dark times we are living in. Such a joyful and happy story. I have to admit that the mom was insufferable sometimes very childish and annoying. But other than that, I enjoyed this book very much.

hilarious

I wish there it were longer, or it could be a series. loved this book so much.

A good little Zombie book

I really liked "Last Mom Standing" by Mary Jane Owen. Jane Kovak a now a single divorced mom is trying make her new life under control when a zombie outbreak happens. Now, Jane focus is keeping Hillary and Francis safe. Soon they are joined by Taylor, Ivy, and later Lucy. With the help from her neighbor Luis and later his son Hector the zombie has mean their match. "Last Mom Standing is a break from your usual post apocalypse book and worth your credit and time

Fun & engaging Zompoc story

The characters and relationships are built so well. The women are smart, snarky, and resilient (so many post apocalypse stories make women weak and simpering or underdeveloped sub categories there to build up the manliness of the man characters. This story brings a great cast of characters together as they find a way forward together. Hoping the next book will be out on audible soon. I highly recommend for folks who enjoy Sarah Lyons Fleming, Courtney Konstantin, Camille Picott, Brad Manuel, and Kyla Stone.

First Dad Reviewing?

Probably not actually, but this was perfection. I’ve read a lot of books in the genre and even considered doing my PhD on the tropes involved in apocalyptic fiction and how it has conditioned culture to expect The Worst. So it is rare in these genre, for an author to defy expectations—and I am always exceedingly happy when they do.

I wish I were at my computer so I could really write instead of doing this on my phone. Mary Jane Owen has done something in the genre that needed to be done: resolution!

Yes there was a resolution in World War Z, and in each of Sarah Lyons Fleming’s concluded series’, and in Craig Dilouie’s “Infection Trilogy”, or and in the seminal “The Living Dead” by Romero and Daniel Kraus but each novel or series does it in their own way with their own starting premises setting up their own unique resolutions.

For the last few years though I’ve honestly been thinking, “Why haven’t I come across a book wherein the path from apocalypse to wholeness occurs more like they tend to in real life—signs of crisis, crisis, despair of unknowing, PULLING TOGETHER*, and then getting through it all only to find that the rest of the world WAS doing the same, and eventually a RETURN to a new normal.” Obviously I never thought it out exactly like that so don’t know why I used quotes there but such is the Mind.


The truth is that this is almost always what the majority of people actually do during a disaster! I lived in upstate NY during 9/11 and felt some of that coming together and also
Lived in Tokyo during the earthquake and Fukushima meltdown. The day of the quake was pretty crazy because trains were not running but instead of running, panicking, and treating other people like obstacles, there were miles of people in business attire making long walks to home that night. Even the Yakuza were out in the streets making sure people had food and water—if I recall, the mafia did the same thing during hard times in American history.

Our media has us constantly “othering” everyone and hating someone unseen because that dynamic is what our political system runs on. But left alone, in small communities, people tend to work together. And yes, I was worried early on in the text that a certain character was gonna become the typical, end times dictator à la The Walking Dead but then 8-year old Hailey was dying her hair blue and chasing chickens and my faith in humanity was restored.

I was mostly unaware of the cozy genre until coming across Charlaine Harris’ “Midnight, Texas” series which was captivating to me in a completely different way than the other fiction I’d digested up to that point. I won’t try to define it but I like it, and I’m sure if You give this book a try You’ll like it too.

I basically gave my top zombie apocalypse novels above and I recommend them all whole heartedly. I mentioned World War Z first because it’s known but that does not indicate preference.

Instead Infection Trilogy and The Living Dead are the best Zombie Epics.
I’ve only finished the first book but Stephen Jones’ Zombie Apocalypse would appear to be right up there with them being epistolary in nature and also among the best books in genre that I’ve read.

For something that is epic but more centrally focused on the “disaster” of it all and how people tend to react in such situations I’d suggest any or Sarah Lyons’ Flemmings’s novels series.

And one more book that is both unique and never mentioned see T.W. Smith’s “The Dead Next Door”—incredible work that needs to be read. I’ve reached out to the author and know that another book is in the works, but I think Smith really needs to be recognized so that he can focus on the next part of the story.

Now, You may ask Yourself “Why did this dude just write a few hundred words about OTHER zombie novels!? Tell me about THIS ONE!” And You would be right to do so. I did this because this book, a quick read with excellent dialogue and characterization, should be mentioned alongside these other greats! And I don’t want to spoil anything at all if I can avoid it.

My one nit to pick is that I’d liked to have seen a resolution with the character who found himself battling his own Cognitive Dissonance. I think that having something in there about him either facing himself or even being confused destroyed by the “horde” would have helped. Or, even, if his rifle was located after the fact.

Give it a read and let us know what You think!